Wednesday, February 6, 2013

An Update.

Life is staying busy around these parts and we love it! I am so thankful that the Hubby's work schedule allows us to have so much family time. We really get to soak up time with our boys. 



C makes us laugh on a daily basis with all the cute and hilarious things he says! He's quite the talker now.



At lunch one day Gunther was in his high chair and Caleb climbed down and rolled him over to where he was and said, "Dunfer you're my best friend." My mommy heart almost exploded. C is such a good big brother. He asks to hold Gunther a lot. He also wants to include him. When we go out to run errands he'll ask, "Dunfer tum too?"

Thomas time!


Rocking Tigger and putting him down for a nap just like Mommy does with baby G.


Library trips have become a weekly tradition for C and Daddy. It's always a big hit with the "Big Tigger", new movies and books, and the "spinning money" (A make-a-wish coin collector.)




New alphabet board! He can match all of them now and the first time we did it he told me, "C is for Caleb."

C really wants to share things with Gunther, especially food, but I've told him Gunther can only have milk. We also talk about the things G can do when he's older. So, the other day C was eating a quesadilla (His favorite thing for lunch) and turned to Gunther, "Dunfer, when you olders you 'sposed to eat tase-adilla."



Hubby got C a Dalmatian stuffed animal which C calls "Dalmatian doggy."  The day after he got it he was carrying it around and told me, "I like Dalmatian doggy. He pretty cute boy!"

I have a bad record of things overflowing/splattering in the oven, smoking, and setting off the smoke alarms. This has not gone unnoticed by my oldest who told me a few days ago. "Mommy, smoke come out of oven. Beep, beep, beep!" 

 Chillin' with my toys.

Here are some other things he's said recently:

"Tigger you touch my face. My face smooth. I shaved. You touch my whiskers Tigger?" 

"It dark outside. I can't do my little lawnmower. That sad."

Matt was working on some plumbing and making some banging noises. "Did you go Bish, bash, bosh Daddy?" (A game that the steam engines play on Thomas the Tank Engine when they bump things with their bumpers.)

Said about string cheese; "Actually mom, you eat it. It has hair on it." (Hair being the little stringy pieces)

He often tells us, "Pretty nice day outside! Ride my bike?"

I got new washcloths recently and I went to wipe his mouth and he said, "New?" I responded that yes, I had just bought them. He then said, "I pretty like new ones!" ("Pretty like" is his way of saying "really like")

C has recently started to want to know what things are called. "What called for that?"

One night C told Matt that he wanted to "Rock and Talk Daddy." He then proceeded to tell Matt the day's events. "Stomach upset, go to grocery store...."


 Dr. Caleb


New jammies.




Sledding! C loved it except for the walk up the hill. :)




 First snow. It was windy and C was not a fan so he went and hid. :)

Looking at the snow.

It was a winter wonderland!



 Me and my boys!

 Silly faces!



Baby G:

Gunther started solid foods a week ago (at 4 months) and is doing really well with them! His favorite it rice cereal so far.


 Like his older brother, the bib is a toy and he makes more of a mess with it than without so we don't use one anymore. :)

Gunther LOVES his Daddy! 



 Learning to hold things.




 We've also started teething, so lots of finger chewing.


 How sweet is this smile? 

 Sleeping Angel


 A serious face!


Matt and I got to sneak away for a date a couple weeks ago and that was great! Thanks to my sweet in-laws for offering to watch the boys! This is probably the first nice couple shot we've got in several years.




Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Christmas 2012

Christmas was a blast! C got into the presents and excitement so much more this year. We celebrated with the Hubby's family on the 24th and Matt got off that morning. When he got home C said, "Merry Christmas!! Presents?" He was so excited we decided to let him open them a day early. Matt and I both agreed that Christmas is WAY more fun when you have kids! :)


 New Thomas Ornament! 

 New markers! C loves to color.
C's big present-- a bike! He was so excited! Love that smile!

 With Aunt Sadie


Hina, a friend visiting from Japan.

New Tigger!

Ears and a tail for C too!


Baby G with Boppa


Thankful for our many blessings!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Christmas Letter 2012


Merry Christmas!


Matt: Got assigned to a fire station earlier this year and is enjoying his new crew. We love his flexible schedule and all the time we can spend together as a family. Matt likes to run and is planning to run a marathon in 2013, his fourth. 

Elyssa: I love being home with the boys and still manage to find some time to maintain my jewelry business. I’m enjoying making our new house a home and getting all settled in.

Caleb: Is a great big brother! He brings lots of joy to our family with his enthusiasm for life and cheerful personality. He is quite the little talker. He is into anything with wheels; trains, firetrucks, and our riding lawnmower, which he likes to get rides on with Daddy.

Gunther: Lots of smiles and coos! He just learned to roll and is starting to giggle. He is a happy, content baby and we feel blessed to have him be part of our family!

We hope this holiday season is filled with joy and special memories for you! 



Here are a few pictures of highlights from this year:





We welcomed Baby Gunther to our family October 8th!



Caleb turns 2!


Pella Tulip Festival


Wisconsin Dells


Jogging Buddies




Our new home!

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Happenings

I can't believe baby G is already 2 months! Where has the time gone??? Here are some pictures of things going on in our world.

 Lots of smiles!



Baby G has really started liking being in his bouncy seat and tries to touch the toys. He also smiles and coos at them. :)


Daddy and C have been able to have a lot of fun together lately while mommy is busy with baby G! Trips to the library, running errands, jogging, tractor rides! (The tractor mower came with the house. Probably C's favorite thing about living here. :) 

 Jogging buddies!


 Coloring together!

 C with daddy and his "John Deere Green" Tractor.

Donut run.


C is really into deer right now. We live in a wooded area now and see them quite a bit. One night a neighbor dog chased one up onto our front porch. Ever since when we or guests leave our house C says, "Be careful the deer on the porch!"

Some of C's favorite things:

Activities: Being read to and reading to us, playing with his doggie scooter, tractor rides with daddy, coloring with markers, and baking with mommy.

Foods: Thomas gummy snacks, quesadillas, smoothies, fruit leathers, fruit, black olives, chips and salsa, cheese and crackers and anything else Hubby snacks on. Caleb is always mooching off daddy. "I have some?"

Things to play with: Thomas trains! His doggie scooter. He pretends it is a motor cycle and makes it "jump." Blocks. His tractors from when daddy was a boy and daddy's old firetruck. Puzzles. He can do   24 piece ones now.

C knows all his colors now and is learning how to count. The highest he's gotten is 7. :) 

In other news, we've started easing into some potty training and he's already gone twice in his little potty! 



 G loves tummy time! He rolled over at 8 weeks!


 Taken at Thanksgiving.


 My 3 boys!




C as an angel at our church's Christmas program.

He looks so big here! He is a big boy! We're curious to see what he weighs at his 2 month doctor visit. He's definitely at least a month ahead of where C was at his age size wise.

Trying hard to roll. (He did a couple days after this picture was taken.)



Things have definitely settled into a new "normal" and we're adjusting well to being a family of four. Hubby and I are usually worn out by 8pm, but I think that's to be expected with a active 2 year old and 2 month old. :) We wouldn't want it any other way and are very thankful for our precious treasures.